


Ringing In The New Year

by ShadowHaloedAngel



Series: One Night [10]
Category: Carol (2015), The House with a Clock in its Walls (2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Gift Giving, Girls Kissing, Historical, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:21:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21892069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/pseuds/ShadowHaloedAngel
Summary: This time of year has special significance to Carol and Florence, and they decide to mark it together.
Relationships: Carol Aird/Florence Zimmermann
Series: One Night [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1416958
Comments: 17
Kudos: 18





	Ringing In The New Year

**Author's Note:**

> I am solely responsible for the title. I tried so hard to come up with something better. Don't worry, I hate myself too.
> 
> Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, and happy new year to you all. Thank you for your patience where I've taken a bit of a break this month after hitting NaNoWriMo last month and a lot of personal stuff going on. Don't worry, nothing is on hiatus or being dropped, I just need to work at my own pace. I really do appreciate all your support. Thank you so very much.

"You know, it's amazing to think that I've been here a year..."

Carol's voice broke the comfortable silence between them, and Florence smiled, pressing an easy kiss to her forehead. Carol was leaning into her shoulder, and Florence continued to gently run her fingers through Carol's hair and over that little spot behind her ear. They were comfortable here in the pool of golden warmth from the fire in the grate.

"Mmmm... is that a good or a bad thing, minette?"

Carol reached up to cover Florence's hand with her own, still content to exist here together, with no urgent need to look up or move.

"...A good thing. That much I'm certain of, for all that I never dreamed my life would take the turns that led me here."

The silence stretched on between them again, comfortable and warm, and Carol closed her eyes to focus on the twin sounds of their breathing, on the feel of Florence's heartbeat against her side and the way it was perfectly in sync with hers. These quiet moments were the crowning jewels of this new life, and she never wished to hurry them.

Eventually, though, she shifted to raise her head from Florence's shoulder and look at her properly, captivated for a moment by the way the firelight danced over her hair, her eyelashes, shining in her eyes like starlight.

"...Perhaps we should celebrate?"

Florence smiled warmly, her hand coming up to cup Carol's cheek, her thumb skimming along Carol's cheekbone. Carol's breath caught in her throat a little as she felt tears threaten to spring to her eyes because even now she still felt overwhelmed by the way Florence looked at her, touched her as though she were something precious. Harge had done that, once. In the early days, before anything had soured between them. Over the years his touches had grown to have many undertones: lust, possessiveness, anger, contempt... never really love, but want. He had always wanted her. He had loved her in the best way he knew how, but it wasn't enough, in the end, for either of them.

"I'd like that..."

Carol leaned up to kiss her, moving fast enough to take that lead. There was so much give and take between them, but she still liked to initiate things sometimes. There was a thrill to it, the thrill that Florence would permit her, that this incredible, beautiful woman was hers to kiss and hold and love, that Florence trusted her. Even after a year it still made Carol's heart beat that little bit faster.

She reached up to slide her fingers into Florence's hair, deepening the kiss. It still felt so natural, as though they had all the time in the world. Florence nuzzled her softly as the kiss broke, and Carol smiled, giving her another peck, laughing joyfully as she did so.

“And how would you like to celebrate? Let’s see now… when was it? The 21st, was it not?”

“Mmm… Midwinter Solstice… a magical night indeed…”

Florence laughed, free and clear and beautiful as Carol laughed along with her.

“You learn fast indeed, minette.”

“Are we spending Christmas with Jonathan and Lewis again?”

“We are, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have our own private celebration a few days before?”

Carol smiled shyly.

“I’d like that…”

Florence kissed her softly.

“Then celebrate, we shall. Perhaps we should talk about this more tomorrow?”

Carol smiled and shifted to stand in a rustle of her skirts, holding a hand out to Florence.

“Excellent plan, darling. Is it time for bed?”

Florence chuckled and stood, kissing Carol on the cheek.

“Yes, I think it’s time for bed.”

Still smiling, Carol held Florence’s hand and led her towards the stairs, glancing back under her lashes. With an impish curve on her own lips, Florence followed.

~

“How would you like your eggs, darling?”

“Scrambled, please?”

Carol smiled over her shoulder from where she was standing by the stove, and Florence winked, pouring two cups of coffee and two glasses of orange juice.

“…You do them so well.”

Carol laughed.

“Is that the talent of mine you appreciate the most?”

Florence smiled.

“You are a woman of many talents, minette, and I appreciate them all.”

Carol bent to kiss her on the cheek as she set a plate of scrambled eggs and toast on the table in front of Florence, her hand resting for a moment between Florence’s shoulders.

“That much I never doubted, darling.”

Florence smiled, waiting for Carol to join her before she tucked into breakfast.

Carol settled next to Florence at the table and sipped her coffee.

"Mmm... thank you. You know just how I like it."

Florence smiled.

"I try, minette. Now, about our... anniversary..."

Carol blushed a little as she set the cup down gently, glancing up at Florence again.

"...Yes, I suppose it is..."

Florence reached for Carol's hand, and Carol let her take it, squeezing gently.

"...A lot has changed."

Florence's words washed over her, and Carol took a moment to really appreciate her voice, low and musical... and she recognised too the way Florence was trying to hide her uncertainty behind certainty. She always managed to seem so in control, even when she was tentative, and Carol knew her well enough now to be able to identify more of those moments. If anything, they only made her fall more in love.

"It has," Carol smiled, lifting Florence's hand to her lips and kissing the back of it, "But I wouldn't change any of it back?"

Florence smiled at her, and Carol felt her heart skip at the little flush high on Florence's cheekbones. She still loved to make the older woman blush.

"...Perhaps we should make dinner together?"

"That sounds wonderful... or we could maybe... I could make the main course, perhaps you could make an appetiser? And for dessert... I can't think of anything more appropriate than your chocolate chip cookies?"

Florence laughed, and drew Carol's hand to her lips in turn now.

"...That sounds wonderful, minette. If you're sure you'd be happy with that?"

Carol kissed her softly, sweetly on the lips.

"I can't think of anything I'd like more."

~

Christmas had certainly arrived in New Zebedee, and up at the end of Main Street there were a few concessions to the season at the purple house. There were candles in the window, though few people here would have picked up on the significance of the number. There were garlands of greenery too, holly and ivy and mistletoe intertwined. There were strings of magical lights strung around the picture rail, glinting off glass and foil that looked like icicles. Their own private, magical ice palace fit for two queens. There was no tree, but there was a big one next door since that was where they would be celebrating the bulk of the season. Rindy would be spending Christmas with her mother this year, and Carol was looking forward to introducing her to Jonathan’s house. Rindy was young enough that the house could be a place of wonder without it being too much of a cause for concern. Still, it was a few days before the feast itself, and instead of concerning themselves with the world outside, Carol and Florence were focused inwardly. 

The table was laid, and Carol was adjusting things, making sure they were perfect and trying not to overthink this as Florence finished the appetiser off in the kitchen. She smoothed down her dress, feeling a heat in her cheeks she couldn't explain as her heart fluttered against her breastbone. It was foolish to feel like this, but at the same time, they had never done something so formal to recognise their relationship before. There was a thrill to it, joy and nerves battling in her stomach. She felt as nervous as she had in high school. Everything about this was different, and yet in so many ways it was the same. Part of her worried that perhaps she was putting too much importance on this, trying too hard, being too much, that she was going to scare Florence away. She didn't doubt, couldn't doubt that Florence loved her, but she also understood that for Florence everything carried so much more weight.

"Minette, are you ready for me to bring the first course through?"

Carol hurriedly removed her apron, hanging it on the coat stand and once more smoothing down her new dress. It had seemed right to dress up for this somehow, and she could always use it as an excuse that she was trying on her new dress before Christmas. At the same time, it hadn't seemed right at all to wear something from her old life when this was about celebrating her new one. She didn't want a reminder of Harge tonight of all nights. With a click of her fingers she lit the candles on the table, glanced over everything once more to check it was perfect, and took a deep breath. 

"...Yes darling, everything's ready!"

After a moment, Florence appeared in the doorway carrying two bowls of soup. Her hair was up in its usual twist, and she too was wearing an apron. Even in the low light, Carol had the strangest impression that the usually self-possessed Florence was blushing a little. She set the bowls down, then removed her apron and hung it next to Carol's, revealing a new dress that Carol was certain she had never seen before. It was beautiful. Lace in a deep purple with a neckline in a shallow scoop below her collarbones, leaving her beautiful shoulders bare too. It had sleeves which covered her tattoo, and Carol could understand that. She knew how much more comfortable Florence felt in outfits which did not reveal her secret to the world, but this dress... this was a flash of the woman Florence had once been, could have been if events had unfolded differently, and it took Carol several moments to remember how to breathe.

As usual, it was Florence who broke the silence between them with perfect equanimity. 

She regarded Carol for a moment, then smiled, a beautiful, delicate thing that lit her eyes. 

"...Well. I'm relieved to see I'm not the only one who dressed for dinner."

Carol blushed, and smoothed her dress out once more. 

"...It seemed... appropriate. I wanted to celebrate. You. With you. What I have with you. I wanted to celebrate what I have with you. And I didn't want to do that in something... I..."

Florence smiled, taking Carol's hands and stepping in to interrupt the flow of words with a soft, lingering kiss. 

"...Let's eat, love?"

Carol smiled and let Florence lead her by the hand to the table. 

They sat, and toasted each other. 

Carol took a spoonful of the soup. 

"Oh, this is delicious, what is it?"

"Split pea soup. Perhaps a little heavy, but a family recipe and one I thought appropriate with snow on the ground outside."

Carol smiled shyly. 

"It's wonderful. Thank you."

"I must admit I'm intrigued by what you've made to follow?"

Carol smiled. 

"Salisbury steaks with french onion sauce?"

"How delightful! I look forward to it immensely."

Carol smiled, pausing in her soup to once more reach for Florence's hand. 

"...Thank you. I love you."

Florence smiled, sipping her wine with her free hand before she once more set the glass down, her eyes crinkling at the edges as the candlelight danced in them. 

"...I love you too, minette."

"I... perhaps now is not the time, but... I... got you a little something? I know we didn't discuss it, and if you'd prefer... perhaps it can be your Christmas gift, but a few days early, that way... if you don't like it, we don't need to deal with the discomfort in front of the others?"

Florence hesitated, setting her spoon down once more and delicately dabbing her lips with a napkin as though buying time, though she had still made no move to release Carol's hand. 

"Truth be told, minette, I... got you a little gift as well. I think perhaps there might be wisdom in exchanging them early. Perhaps after dinner, if we can bear to wait that long?"

Carol smiled shyly.

"I think I can bear it... Truthfully, I think I can bear anything with you."

Florence blushed again, a faint wash of colour on pale cheeks in the candlelight, and Carol felt her pulse leap against her fingertips. 

"...Thank you, minette. I think perhaps I can bear anything with you too."

~

After the plates had been cleared away and set in the sink to soak, Carol once more took Florence's hand. 

"...Perhaps now? Before dessert?"

Florence smiled and kissed her cheek, allowing Carol to lead her to the couch. They settled there, in front of the fire, enjoying the chance to take a moment and breathe together. Carol closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of Florence so close, her familiar warmth and strength, her scent... even behind her eyelids she could sense Florence's power dancing across her awareness. Learning magic had opened her eyes and even more to aspects of the world she had never known existed. She certainly had no wish to go back to the mundane.

Florence squeezed her hand gently, and Carol opened her eyes again, gazing straight into the star-lit sky of Florence's own. 

"...Would you like me to go first, minette?"

Carol pulled back a little, shifting and taking a deep breath. 

"...Actually, no, I would rather go first, if that's alright?"

Florence seemed slightly amused as she nodded, settling back against the couch cushions. 

"Of course, minette."

Carol slid her hand into her dress pocket and pulled out a small box. She held it tight for a moment, her knuckles white, before she forced herself to hold it out and offer it to Florence. 

Florence took it with an inquisitive glance at Carol, lips quirked in bemusement as she inspected the unremarkable box. 

"May I-"

"Please, open it?"

The words fell out before Carol could think about them, she had so many bubbling up inside her, so many explanations and excuses, but she could offer none of them until Florence had opened the box. 

Florence gave her a searching look, but opened the box and stared, open-mouthed. 

Inside lay a ring, silver with three stones, a citrine flanked by two tanzanites, glittering in the firelight. 

She looked up again, and once more Carol found words tumbling from her lips. 

"That is to say... it isn't... it doesn't need to be... it's just a ring, nothing- it doesn't need to mean anything more than that. But I saw it and I... there's something of my power in it, though nothing in the realms of what you can do obviously, but it has what protective magic I could place on it, and I- I understand absolutely if you can't accept it, or if you would rather not, but I hope you might forgive me for-"

Florence took the ring from the box and, looking up at Carol once more as the words died in her throat, Florence slid the ring onto the third finger of her right hand. 

Florence took Carol's hands, gazing steadily into her eyes, although when she finally spoke her voice shook a little. 

"...Thank you. And I accept it, gladly. And there is nothing to forgive. In fact-" She loosed their hands and reached into her own pocket, handing Carol a box which was almost identical, and Carol felt her head spinning as she took it, hands trembling, heart in her throat.

She opened the box, and nestled in it was another silver ring, although this one had an amethyst, flanked by two citrines. 

She looked up at Florence again, unable to speak, all her questions in her eyes. 

"I thought... perhaps... that it might be a match for your earrings, and I... admit I was drawn to the combination of stones. I hoped that you would not think I was being too forward or suggesting anything... but at the same time... I wanted to offer it. As a pledge of sorts. And, if nothing else, simply as a ring."

Carol took it, staring at it in the firelight on her palm as she tried to catch her breath, tried to form any kind of coherent thought or words where just a few moments before she had had words to spare. 

"I... are... are you certain?"

Florence smiled, reaching out to gently close Carol's hand around the ring as her eyes flicked between Florence's and her hand. 

"...Yes. I am."

Carol swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, then leaned in to kiss Florence, slowly at first and then all at once. 

When they finally broke apart, she was panting and Florence was breathing heavily, while tears glittered on both their lashes like diamonds or drops of amber as Carol finally forced herself, finger by finger, by dint of will to open her hand. She stared at the ring anew. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. She swallowed, curling her hand around it once more, then stretched out the fingers of her right hand and slid it home, a perfect mirror of Florence's. 

She looked up again, reaching subconsciously for Florence's hands again, and the two of them gazed at each other for a long time in silence broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. 

Eventually it was Florence who broke it. 

"...To another year together?"

Carol smiled, nodding as the tears finally bubbled over, a single one sliding like crystal down her cheek. 

"...To a better life, and to the future."

Florence smiled and leaned in to kiss her softly. Carol closed her eyes and felt the kiss with every sense she had. 

As it broke, Florence echoed her and Carol could feel the words on her skin, her eyes still closed.

"To the future."

They sealed it with another kiss, and Carol felt something broken inside her settle into place, something healing as the world shifted to be right in a way she had never dreamed was possible. 

She squeezed Florence's hands tighter, holding on as though for dear life. 

"...I love you."

She relaxed back as she felt Florence lean in once more, and these words were breathed like a promise, warm over her lips.

"I love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> Florence's ring from Carol - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/9253/8739/products/ooAeFzccKB_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1573486631 (with the middle stone a citrine instead of tanzanite)  
> Carol's ring from Florence - https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0025/9253/8739/products/xh5ZtHuokT_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1573487009
> 
> Carol's dress - https://i.etsystatic.com/8408710/r/il/d743e2/1586584707/il_794xN.1586584707_rj0j.jpg  
> Florence's dress - https://sc02.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1VgOqEpGWBuNjy0Fbq6z4sXXaR.jpg
> 
> The soup - https://www.seleneriverpress.com/old-fashioned-split-pea-soup-with-ham/ (without the ham)  
> The main - https://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/salisbury-steaks-in-french-onion-sauce/


End file.
